


I knew From the First Time

by KlaineJane



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Cat Petting, Family, First Meeting, Flirting, Fluff, M/M, Magnus loves alec's shoulders, Romance, boys being sappy, kind of, meet cute, single dad, single parent, too much winking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-05-21 03:52:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14907797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KlaineJane/pseuds/KlaineJane
Summary: Alec Lightwood, head of the New York Institute, has to bring his two sons with him to a meeting with The High Warlock of Brooklyn.Cat petting and flirting happens.





	I knew From the First Time

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys!  
> I hope you like this, I got hit out of nowhere with inspiration for this fic and I am pretty happy with this!  
> I hope you like it!  
> Title is from I like me better by Lauv

‘’Izzy please, are you sure there is absolutely no one else available who can watch the boys tonight? No one else?’’ Alec begged his sister, his serious eyes focused on his smirking sister who was seated quite comfortably on one of the Institute’s many weapons’ benches. 

‘’Well’’ Izzy said teasingly, ‘’there’s always Simon, you know how much the boys love him,’’ she teased, laughing at Alec’s unamused expression as he visibly shuddered at the idea. 

While there was no bad blood or any sort of animosity between Simon and Alec, there was still an understanding that Alec could only stand Simon’s inane chatter and babbling for short periods of time or with timed intervals of quietness and tranquillity. 

‘’Of course the boys love him Izzy, they’re 3 and 7 years old and Simon gives the unlimited access to candy and pizza because, and I’m quoting directly, ‘I wanna be the coolest uncle, no rules only fun times and gumdrops at uncle Simon’s and oh my god that sounds so wrong I did not mean that in a creepy way Alec I swear please let me watch your kids’’’ Alec finished with a well-rehearsed sigh coupled with a theatrical pinching of the bridge of his nose.

Izzy laughed and patted Alec’s shoulder in a comforting way, but with a condescending undertone that came from having two drama queens as her older brothers. She tried to hide her smile as Alec rolled his shoulders back and prepared himself for another tirade. 

'’And honestly the last time Simon watched them I had to suffer through weeks of Max and Rafa begging me to buy them Japanese comic books and guitars and hoverboards, that for your information, apparently don’t even hover! I am not going through that again’’ Alec said with a resolute nod and a reaffirmed belief in his non-plan. 

Isabelle’s smile, which had steadily been growing bigger and bigger despite her best efforts to keep her face serious, broke way for a teasing laugh and shrug. ‘’Guess you’ll just have to bring the little niños to your meeting with the High Warlock of Brooklyn then hmm?’’ her smugness dripping from every word like honey. 

She jumped down effortlessly from her perch on the table and walked around to Alec’s other side. He couldn’t help but feel like he was being tricked into something, a feeling that was quite familiar after growing up with Isabelle and Jace’s various shenanigans. 

Alec arched an eyebrow at his sister, a move he would deny he’d practiced in the mirror until he’d achieved the perfect mix of dubious, but intrigued, his nose scrunched a little bit like an inquisitive bunny. 

‘’I mean it’s just a business meeting right? I’m sure Magnus Bane won’t mind if you bring them along, especially not if you wear that nice shirt I got you last week. You know the one you said felt a little too tight?’’ Isabelle’s innocent smile set off a flurry of blaring alarms inside Alec’s head. 

Nothing good came from Isabelle sporting that smile. That was the same smile she’d sported when she was sixteen and convinced a 21 year old Alec to help sneak her into the hottest club that weekend. Alec should have realized Isabelle didn’t need her older brother’s help to sneak into anything, much less a mundane club. 

Nevertheless Alec had been desperate to cheer his sister up after her on-again-off-again relationship with the Seelie Meliorn was in it’s off-again stage and had promptly found himself in the middle of a dance floor chock full of gyrating men in cropped shirts (or no shirt in some cases) desperately clutching his bottle of non-alcoholic beer while trying to find Izzy in labyrinth of gay men and women. 

Needless to say, Alec had realized rather quickly after that, that Izzy had taken it into her own hand to celebrate his coming out to their family. So yes Alec knew to be on his toes when his sister looked at him with that smile pasted all over her face. 

Slowly Alec tilted his head and squinted his eyes at her. ‘’I don’t know what you’re trying to do here, but fine.’’ 

He sighed, ‘’I’ll let the High Warlock know I’ll be bringing the boys and hope he doesn’t reschedule, I’ve been trying to get this meeting for months Izzy, months!’’ Alec’s voice had switched into a pitch more suitable for calling a dogs’ attention than talking to regular humans (well half-angel humans, but still).

Izzy quickly forgave her brother for temporarily damaging her hearing, considering he was a single father raising a warlock below the age of five and a Shadowhunter who couldn’t wait to start training with real swords, she could forgive him his slight hysteria at times.

He just needed more coffee. Or sleep. 

Probably coffee if she knew her brother right. 

‘’He will not reschedule,’’ Izzy said sympathetically, patting Alec’s arm while her voice took a turn into more mischievous territories. 

‘’Just remember to wear the shirt I got you, okay?’’ She had to resort to yelling the last part at Alec’s retreating back while he waved his hand at her in goodbye. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alec took a deep breath as he shakily raised his hand to knock on the door of The High Warlock of Brooklyn. 

Not that he was nervous to meet Magnus Bane, of course not, that’d be ridiculous. This was just a business meeting between two respected Downworld leaders. Where one was an incredibly powerful, not to mention awe-inspiringly beautiful man capable of charming a rock to become a soft pillow with a quirk of his well-defined brow. 

Alec may have a spent a sleepless night while comforting a fussy baby Max flicking through all the pictures of Magnus Bane the Institute’s Archives had available. 

There were a lot of them, most with Magnus dressed up in decadent clothing with historical undertones, but the one that really stood out to Alec was the one of Magnus in Pandemonium. 

He’d been wearing a dark shirt with a downright plunging neckline that made Alec blush even from just viewing through the grainy and badly lit pictures, his imagination did a lot of the work for him. 

The necklaces Magnus wore seemingly caressing the soft brown chest they were resting against. God how Alec wished he could turn into inanimate objects sometimes. 

‘’Did daddy forget how to knock Rafa?’’ Alec shook himself out of his silent gay fantasy and realized he had been standing with his hand raised, posed to knock, in front of the door for who knows how long. 

He switched his focus to his son, crouching down to be on his level, he cleared his throat to reply, but Rafael beat him to it. 

‘’He’s just nervous because he thinks that Magnus is pretty,’’ Rafael said impishly, ‘’isn’t that right dad? That’s what auntie Izzy told me.’’ He finished with a owlish blinking of his big brown eyes up at his dad and goddammit how was Alec supposed to tell him off for spreading gossip when he looked at him like that. 

He was so weak for those eyes. ‘’I- I do not think that, Magus Bane is a respected leader, and very bea- very good at magic and this is a professional buisness meeting not a gossip session.’’ 

Alec managed to pull himself together enough to squeeze out a semi-coherent sentence while ruffling Rafael’s messy brown hair and giving Max a playful nudge to show him he wasn’t really upset. 

Alec had just straightened back up when his boys’ gleeful expressions and stifled giggles made him spin around, coming face to face Magnus Bane himself. 

‘’All business is so boring for the mind Alexander; a little gossip never hurt anyone. It might even benefit certain parties.’’ He finished with a salacious, but quick wink to Alec, which okay Alec was going to need a couple of weeks to properly deal with that. 

Magnus turned swiftly to face the boys more head on and gestured for them to go inside with a graceful arm movement with a trail of blue smoke drifting lazily after it. 

‘’You must be the future best Shadowhunter of your generation and the next High Warlock of the world then?’’ Magnus uttered with a tone of voice that suggested he had never been surer of anything in his life, while giving both of the boys a warm and welcoming smile. 

Alec lost his mind a little at the smile, how the left side quirked up slightly higher than the right, how it softened his entire face and oh god Alec was so screwed. 

The boys preened at that, sharing a quick look before Rafael grabbed Max’s hand and led him past Magnus and into the Warlocks’ loft, and Alec felt his heart melt at the sight of Rafael taking care of Max and making sure he was okay. 

Magnus gestured for Alec to follow them, and Alec tried to get his feet to obey his brain as quickly as possible without falling flat on his face in the process. 

He made it safely inside the opulent loft and stopped dead at the sight before him. The loft was full of things to look at, historical artefacts, opulent furniture with soft blankets thrown over the arms, and oh my god was that a dinosaur skull? 

Alec itched to get his hands on it and really check it out, but before he could decide whether that would be completely rude and throw away any chance he had of making a good impression on the High Warlock, he was suddenly barrelled into by Rafael. 

Alec quickly crouched down to make sure he was okay, his hands fluttering around his son before settling on his upper arms and his eyes scanned him over quickly for any injuries or sign of distress. 

‘’What’s wrong, mijo? You doing okay?’’ Alec murmured quietly to him, knowing how shy and withdrawn Rafael could get in new places with people he hadn’t met before. Well just one person, but still, it might be enough to have him retreat into himself a bit. 

Alec’s worries dissipated quickly, his chest filling with warmth at his son’s sunny smile and eager eyes. ‘’He has a kitty dad!’’ He blurted out, his entire little body vibrating with excitement, ‘’can we pet it, please? Please, I promise I’ll watch Max and make sure he treats the kitty well I promise, please daddy?’’ 

Rafael’s head kept turning to follow the sashay of a small, sort of fat grey cat that was appraising the intruders with a regal air surrounding him. Alec smiled softly at Rafael before waving Max over so he could speak to both of them at the same time. 

It may also have been a little bit to stop Max from reaching the cat he had slowly been walking towards with the resoluteness of a toddler who had seen something fluffy and moving. 

‘’You’ll have to ask Mr. Bane that, now don’t you? It’s his cat and his house after all, right?’’ Alec said quietly, gently nudging both his sons to face Magnus more fully. Magnus who is looking at the three of them with softness in his eyes, his face pulled into an expression of a little sadness? That can’t be right.

But either way his face sends Alec’s brain spiralling again, god those pink, lush lips look almost wet. Is that lip gloss? What flavour is it? Does Magnus even like flavoured lip gloss? Would he want Alec to wear it? 

‘’Please please Mr. Warlock Bane Sir can we please pet the kitty I’ll be careful we just wanna cuddle it!’’ Max’s sweet voice cuts through the, frankly panicked thoughts Alec was having on raspberry scented lip gloss, and yanks him back into the present. 

Both his sons are now standing right in front of Magnus, both of them with their hands clasped in front of them and eyes shining with the innocent glee only children possess. ‘’I’ll make sure Max doesn’t accidentally yank the fur or pull on the kitty’s tail!’’ Rafael’s voice pipes up, squaring his tiny narrow shoulders to show how serious he is. 

Max shoots a quick look at his brother before hurrying to do the same, almost falling in his haste to complete the quest of Petting the Cat. Alec’s heart melts at his sons’ bond; they remind him so much of him and Izzy sometimes it’s almost like looking in a mirror. Even if Izzy was more of a free-spirit, even as a 3 year old, she always copied whatever Alec was doing. 

Magnus chuckles, and oh god Alec wants to be the cause of that sound so bad, make it life goal to get a full raucous, wild laughter out of this man. 

‘’I’m sure the Chairman would love nothing more than to get some cuddles from you, but you may have to lure him in first’’ Magnus says, crouching down and leaning in close like he’s letting them in on a big secret. 

The boys eat it up, both leaning forwards eagerly as if Magnus words may disappear before they reach their ears and Alec can’t help but blush at how enraptured Magnus has all of three of them after only five minutes of knowing him. 

Magnus seems like the kinds of person who just has that effect, their personality and charisma so strong you can’t help but be pulled into his orbit, like he’s the very sun. 

Okay major gay thoughts, calm down, Alec mentally berates himself, he has a limit of three gay mental freak outs a day and he’s very quickly reaching his limit. 

‘’How will we get the Chair-cat to like us Mr. Bane?’’ Max’s voice is ringing with the urgent need to solve this riddle, his eyes trained on Magnus like he holds all the answers. Which, to be fair, he does. It’s his cat after all. 

Rafael is nodding along rapidly, eyes flicking from Magnus and to the cat and back again, as if the cat will disappear if he lets it out of his sight. Like it’s too good to be true. Alec can relate to that. 

Magnus smiles at them, his eyes crinkling at the corner, before he waves his hands in an overly elaborate gesture with way more flourishes than probably necessary, but Alec can’t really be judging him when he’s just as enamoured with the movements as his kids. Their little heads are following along the twists and turns of Magnus’s wispy magic. 

Soft tendrils snake out from his hands, the magic still powerful enough that Alec can smell the scent of burnt sugar he associates with Warlock magic. With a finishing flick of his wrist, Magnus produces a small, light blue packet with a fat white and brown spotted cat on it.

He tears it open slowly; both Rafael and Max are watching the process with rapt attention, and Magnus gives them a quick wink before he shakes out a few pieces. 

He hands both boys a couple treats each, ‘’Now, the Chairman is actually on a perpetual diet thanks to his lazy nature and ‘’big bones’’ as he says’’, here he gives Alec a conspiratorial wink before switching his attention back to the kids in front of him. 

‘’So don’t give him too many okay? Then he’ll get a tummy ache and be no fun for the rest of the evening.’’ His voice takes on a slightly theatrical tone, and Max and Rafael giggle before Max pipes up with a very serious question judging by his tone. 

‘’The kitty can talk? Will he talk to us?’’ his eagerness coupled with his serious tone almost breaks Magnus’ carefully constructed serious, but warm face. 

Alec can recognize the expression quickly enough after sporting it himself numerous times throughout the kids growing up. 

Magnus lowers his voice to the suitable level of telling a big secret, widening his eyes all the while. ‘’If you’re very lucky, he’s a bit stand-offish, but I can tell he’ll love you two.’’ Rafael’s chest puffs out proudly at Magnus’ words, and he grabs Max’s hand with the air of a man on a mission. 

‘’We’re going to befriend the kitty dad, you can talk to Mr. Magnus while we do that alright?’’ Alec doesn’t even get to reply before his sons have stalked out of the sitting area towards the kitchen while murmuring praises to the cat to make him talk. 

‘’So,’’ Magnus says loudly, standing up slowly from where he’d been crouched talking to the boys, walking, no more like sauntering, towards Alec. Alec is having enough issues processing how, if he and Magnus were standing toe to toe, their lips would line up almost perfectly. 

Alec would just have to dip his head down slightly and then- ‘’If I had known they’d be sending you, I would have scheduled this meeting a lot sooner, Alexander.’’ Magnus’ eyes trail slowly from Alec’s shoes to his head, his eyes lingering briefly at his hips, and honestly Alec is not ready for his third gay freak out in the span of ten minutes. 

Magnus gaze had not just stopped at his… his crotch had it? That must be wishful thinking on Alec’s part. It must be. 

‘’I have very much been looking forward to this meeting, Mr. Bane, I have a lot of subjects I’d like to get covered, if not completely then at least scratch the surface.’’ Alec mentally high fives himself for managing to deliver a good, professional sentence, trying to ignore how Magnus’ glinting eyes makes him want to push him up against a wall and do unspeakable things to him. 

God dammit Alec focus, your sons are in the next room for Raziel’s sake. ‘’Of course,’’ Magnus says graciously, shoulders swaying as he steps closer to Alec, ‘’Maybe we should sit down, really get down and dirty?’’ He glances up at Alec through his eyelashes on oh god Alec cannot pop boner now he just can’t. ‘’I- uhm I’m sorry, what was that- that last part?’’ 

His mouth is dry and his palms are sweaty and Magnus is still so, so close and Alec can smell him, the burnt sugar of his magic and the deep woodsy smell that Alec just wants to lick off his neck. 

‘’I said that maybe we should sit down, get down to business? The sooner we finish the sooner we can focus on… Other things.’’ Magnus voice tapers off promisingly, and Alec forgets everything about patrol schedules and warlock healing and potions to aid his Shadowhunters. 

He just wants to talk to Magnus and learn everything he can about this smart, beautiful, funny good with kids, man that he possibly can. Magnus smiles at him and leads him over to a low red couch with cushions so soft and squishy Alec just wants to lie down immediately and go to sleep. Preferably with his head in Magnus’ lap that’d be great, thanks. 

Magnus sits down next to him, a leg bent onto the couch so their knees would bump if Alec would just move a few inches forwards. Just a few inches, and Alec feels them like they’re electrically charged. 

‘’Are you more of a coffee man or tea drinker?’’ Magnus asks, playing the perfect host, and looking at Alec with an open face and easy smile. Alec’s heart clenches in his chest, it’s so easy to want Magnus. 

‘’After, raising two kids I’ve become a coffee drinker no matter what time of day it is,’’ Alec laughs self-consciously, avoiding Magnus’ gaze and focusing down at his lap. 

‘’I can’t imagine that has been easy for you, bur for the record, in my humble opinion, you’ve done an amazing job with them. They’re great kids Alexander.’’ Magnus reaches out a hand to pat comfortingly on Alec’s shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze that almost makes Alec pass out before placing it back in his own lap. 

Alec rubs a hand at the back of his neck while letting out a strained laugh, ‘’thank you, you have no idea how good it is to hear that. Especially since you’re a Warlock yourself, I know I can’t teach Max everything he needs to know, but…’’ Alec trails off uncertainly and shoots Magnus a furtive glance to gauge his reaction. 

He doesn’t understand how quickly Magnus’ opinion has started to matter to him. It feels like Alec can tell him everything, like they’ve known each other forever. 

‘’He’s an adorable little warlock, and the second his magic starts sparking out of him, I’d be more than happy to teach him, Alexander’’ Magnus’ voice is soft and comforting, but ringing with a sincerity that turns Alec’s soldier posture into something softer and more open. 

Alec’s always worried he’s not enough. Never good enough, never fulfilling his duties as well as he’d like, never being the son he was supposed to be, the leader he was supposed to be, and those feelings translates over into his parenting. 

He’ll do anything for his children, anything to keep them safe and loved and like they’re always, no matter what, enough. But Alec is also aware of his shortcomings. He knows he’ll have to have other teachers for Rafael, teachers that will teach him things Alec simply can’t because he wants his son as protected and educated and well-equipped as possible. 

He knows he’ll never get to teach Max about magic, not in the same way a Warlock can, someone who can relate to him and who has been through the same things and knows how to handle both himself and the magic inside him. 

Magnus offering up his wisdom born from centuries of lessons learned from his long and varied past stuns Alec. Alec is stunned someone like Magnus would offer this to Alec. 

A way to make himself feel like he’s giving Max the very best, and even more than that, helping Max by showing that there are more people like him, not just a plethora of Shadowhunters with stark black runes, so unlike his soft blue skin. 

Alec meets Magnus gaze, and reels back at the intensity of it, his soft brown eyes are shining with kindness, but also a resolve that comforts Alec in knowing he’s taking this on with the seriousness it deserves. 

‘’Magnus, that would be amazing,’’ Alec says breathlessly, his voice filled with gratitude and shoulders relaxing back into the soft red fabric of the couch, ‘’Max would be thrilled, he’s already asking me about what being a Warlock really means and your history, I know he’d love to be taught by you.’’ 

Magnus’ eyes shine with happiness, ‘great! I’ll set up a little lesson plan for you to look over, of course, and then we can talk about setting up weekly lessons.’’ 

Magnus drapes an arm along the back of the ouch, his ring clad fingers briefly touching Alec’s shoulder and leaving a trail of fire down his arm, and Alec can’t possibly look away from Magnus captivating eyes now. 

He never stood a chance to begin with. 

‘’Two or three times a week should be enough to start wit-‘’ 

‘’Three days!’’ Alec blurts out, interrupting Magnus mid-sentence whose face is filled with barely controlled mirth, eyes shining with joy. 

Alec closes his eyes, mortified at his eagerness, god Magnus must think he’s desperate. Which okay he is, but still. He doesn’t have to be so obvious about it.

‘’For Max,’’ and Alec should definitely stop yelling and calm his voice down a couple of notches, lest he disturbs his sons’ quest of petting the cat. Magnus probably has people falling over themselves in his presence all the time, how could he not? He’s gorgeous and Alec can’t deal. 

Magnus graciously allows Alec’s social faux pas to pass smoothly away, tilting his head to the side slightly while those deep eyes study Alec, a hand coming up to lightly play with his ear cuff. ‘’Of course. For Max.’’ Magnus repeats with a sage nod, not quite being able to conceal his, and Alec must be imaging things again, appreciative look at Alec’s tense shoulders. 

‘’Daddy look I got him! He loves me daddy he does!’’ Max’s loud noise cuts through the thoughts of both men, the appearance of gleeful and victorious children catching their full attention. 

Max and Rafael are almost dancing their way over to the couch where the two adults are sitting, Chairman Meow almost stepping on their heels while his luminous yellow eyes gaze predatorily at the remaining treats Rafael has clutched in his hands. 

‘’We didn’t give him all of them Mr. Bane we promise, but he still likes us.’’ Rafael says confidently, brushing a gentle hand along the Chairman’s flank while looking at his dad and Magnus for approval and praise. 

Alec smiles widely at his boys’ happiness, chuckling at how adorably proud they both are. Magnus beams at the both of the, clapping his hands together while letting out a delighted little laugh, reaching down to pet the Chairman as well. 

‘’You both did a marvellous job boys, the Chairman looks positively thrilled and he’s definitely loving all the attention, the little diva.’’ Magnus frowns briefly, before continuing on in a theatrically sad voice; ‘’ his affections to me are doomed to be short-lived after being charmed by two boys as kind as you,’’ 

Magnus tilts his head back up to look at the boys who are giggling at his melodramatic joking, and Magnus shares a fond look with Alec. 

Alec can’t help how his insides melt at seeing the three of them having such a good time together, even though they barely know each other, there is an easy chemistry there, like they were always meant to be a part of each other’s lives. 

Okay Alec is definitely being influenced by Magnus’ dramatic tendencies; he’s over-thinking this too much. He forces himself to focus on the present, on the happiness shining out from his boys’ faces while they continue to pet and cuddle the Chairman. 

‘’He wouldn’t talk to us though, Magnus’’ Max pipes up, and oh no when did that happen? Did Magnus give his sons the go ahead to drop the Mr. Bane and Alec didn’t get to sear the moment into his brain? Unacceptable. He can’t believe he missed that, but on the other hand, Magnus name coming from his son in his sweet little voice is undeniably adorable. 

‘’We even tried to meow at him in his language, but we think he may be a little shy. Maybe he’s embarrassed by his voice? Cats must have funny voices’’ Rafael says delicately, looking up at Magnus with his big eyes shining with questions and like Magnus holds all the answers to the world. 

Alec should probably feel jealous of that, usually he’s the only one on the receiving end of that look, but the way Magnus lights up with joy makes Alec want to treasure it and never see it flicker off his face for even a second. 

‘’Well,’’ Magnus says conversationally, ‘’you’ll just have to come back and hear for yourself won’t you? The Chairman would be so disappointed otherwise.’’ He shoots a furtive glance in Alec’s direction, lips quirking up slightly in a way that makes it very hard for Alec to not pull him close and kiss him senseless. 

‘’Please daddy can we?’’ Max asks immediately, latching onto Alec’s hand and tugging at it, while Rafael turns his trademarked puppy eyes on him while echoing his brother’s pleas for another visit ‘’very soon please dad, please?’’ 

Alec holds Magnus gaze while he replies ‘’well we wouldn’t want to disappoint the Chairman now would we?’’ His voice quiet and murmuring and he thrills in watching the way Magnus’ smile grows even wider and softer. 

‘’What a travesty that would be,’’ Magnus says softly, ‘’he’d be unbearable to live with’’ he gestures down to where the cat is winding his way between both boys’ legs in a quite elegant fashion. 

The boys let out happy cheers simultaneously, babbling their thanks and excitement to Magnus and Alec both, and the two men share another look, a look that conveys the sure ness that another visit wouldn’t be purely for cat-petting purposes. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

While showing them out, Magnus lays a gentle hand on Alec’s shoulder and hands him a black business card with his name and number embossed in an elegant script. 

Alec takes the card slowly, treasuring the feel of it in his hand before gently placing it in his pocket, definitely imaging how he can feel the outline of it through his jacket and shirt. 

‘’So you can contact me for future cat-petting adventures, of course’’ he explains, his shoulders swaying distractingly while his eyes never leave Alec’s, and his hand squeezes Alec’s shoulder in goodbye, a groan so quiet Alec must have just imagined it leaving his mouth. 

‘’I look forward to doing business with you Mr. Bane’’ Alec says, leaning into Magnus touch for as long as he can while adding a quick wink he hopes doesn’t make him look like he’s about to sneeze. 

It must be semi-successful at least because Magnus’ cheeks turn an adorable pink shade, while he nods approvingly at Alec’s words, his smile bright and happy. 

‘’Daaaad come on, we’re hungry!’’ Rafael complains, tugging listlessly at Alec’s hand to make him move faster while Alec rolls his eyes good naturedly at Magnus for his impatience. 

Magnus chuckles at his expression and turns to Rafael, ‘’it was lovely to meet you Rafael,’’ he crouches down to be at Max’s level as well, ‘’I hope to see you both again soon, alright? Maybe I can even show you a couple of magic tricks hmm?’’ he finishes hopefully, noting how both boys’ faces lights up at the thought. 

The two boys share a look before Rafael steps closer to Magnus and says in a quiet voice that he hopes they’ll be back soon too, and Alec watches how the heart-melting feeling inside his chest is echoed on Magnus’ face. 

Yeah. They’ll definitely be back soon.

**Author's Note:**

> I forgot to have Magnus actually get them some tea or coffee oh my god


End file.
